Page 25 - We Rave You Magazine | February 2023

EDITORIAL > VINTAGE BEATS: DANCE TUNES TURNING 20 IN 2023

TRACK: IT’S UP TO YOU
TRACK: DEEPEST BLUE
ARTIST: LAYO & BUSHWACKA!
ARTIST: DEEPEST BLUE
LABEL: XL RECORDINGS
LABEL: MINISTRY OF SOUND
Layo & Bushwacka!, this name is as funky as the musicality of this duo.
This track is pure good fun and perhaps that’s why it’s been so success-
Layo & Bushwacka! is the artistic name of Layo Paskin and Mattew
ful. ‘Deepest Blue’ was responsible for catapulting the duo of Matt
‘Bushwacka’ B, a renowned duo from the late 90s and early 2000’s
Schwarts and Joel Edwards into the limelight. Both talented musicians
tech house scene. At this time the music they created respected the
who have collaborated with renowned artists individually, they came
trends, mixing pristine breakbeat with house, tech house and even dub,
together shortly before the release of ‘Deepest Blue’ to quickly become
showing that there were no barriers to musical creation. In 2002 they
a household name on the UK scene. This track has catchy vocals that
released their sophomore album ‘Night Works’ which featured the super
quickly get in your ear and a laid-back, dreamy mood. On the inspira-
hit ‘Love Story’ which topped the charts and sold 100,000 copies. It was
tion for the track, Joel Edwards explained to The Guardian at the time
on the tail of this sizzling success that Layo & Bushwacka! released a
that the first few lines of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ struck a chord with him and
year later ‘It’s Up To You’, which peaked at #24 on the UK Single Chart.
that ‘Deepest Blue’ was a translation of that feeling. The truth is that the
This single has a garage feel to it brought on by the soulful pacing of the
duo Deepest Blue managed to make fans feel that emotion, which led
vocal. The percussion is brilliant and the rhythm is additive, making it
to the single reaching #7 on the UK Singles Chart.
easy to see how successful it was when released.

TRACK: LUCKY STAR TRACK: WEEKEND!
ARTIST: BASEMENT JAXX ARTIST: SCOOTER

LABEL: XL RECORDINGS LABEL: SHEFFIELD TUNES
Innovative and disruptive. Basement Jaxx have always armed them-
Scooter need no introduction. The German three-piece band are an
selves with immense creativity and back in the day their creativity was
international reference to happy hardcore and a universal symbol of
at its peak. ‘Lucky Star’ is one of the tracks from their 2003 album ‘Kish
this genre of music. Their genesis dates back to 1993 and a decade later
Kash’ and a track whose concept crosses the colourful sounds of Bolly-
they rocked the charts with more than one single: ‘Weekend!’ was one
wood with urban garage rap. It is really hard to find words to describe
of their 2003 hits which reached #12 on the UK Single Chart. The music
this single, but the truth is that it easily infected everyone upon its
video for this single will forever go down in history for the mass shock it
release, earning it #13 on the UK Singles Chart. For this weird and unique
caused by displaying topless dancers, considered a scandal. ‘Week-
single, the British duo were joined by grime pioneer Dizzee Rascal, who
end!’ is still today one of the anchor singles of Scooter’s career. A true
was at the beginning of his career at the time. ‘Lucky Star’ is extremely
ode to the weekend, it’s a celebratory track of pure happy hardcore. The
cool, in the image of Basement Jaxx. It’s an ode to pop culture, rap,
super distorted female vocals contrast with H.P. Baxter’s spoken words,
electronica and irreverence, something that made special sense in
always commanding and shouted out loud. The soundscape is spar-
2003 and is still so relevant.
kling, lively and emphatic, a party happening and one that will always
remain as a musical time capsule.

TRACK: MIRACLES
ARTIST: PET SHOP BOYS

LABEL: PARLOPHONE
British duo Pet Shop Boys are part of music history and with ‘Miracles’
they gave a whole new energy to their career at that time. Released in
2003, this was the lead single from Pet Shop Boys’ greatest hits album
‘PopArt: The Hits’. ‘Miracles’ is an example of electro-pop tunes perfec-
tion, exalting a spring freshness and a warm, comfortable summer
breeze. It’s a distinctive and bold track that despite having a very basic
lyric, the richness of the melody elevates it to the greatness it gained at
the time of its release. ‘Miracles’ reached #10 on the UK Single Chart and
earned remixes from Lemon Jelly and Eric Prydz.

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